The aviation industry consumes a relatively small amount of the world's fossil fuels. It has a solid record of reducing its consumption and is driven to do so by the large economic impact of fuel costs on the industry. Fuel consumption has been reduced by constant change and improvement in engine and airframe technology, materials, operations planning, aircraft operation, and maintenance practices.

There are incremental gains to be realized in aircraft technology and Air Traffic control technology and procedures. But the predicted rate of industry growth through 2020 will exceed these gains, causing an increase in the industry's overall consumption of fossil fuels. And there do not appear to be any new fuels on the planning horizon.

Several promising areas for breakthrough aircraft technologies have been identified, but all of them are very challenging. Similarly, major gains in Air Traffic Control efficiencies will not be easy to implement.